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The Elder Son

Name: The Elder Son
Director: Vitaliy Melnikov
Released: 1975
Duration: 140 min

Representation Score

2.7/10

Limited

1975

Director

Vitaliy Melnikov

Runtime

140 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Elder Son is a period-specific domestic drama that adheres to the social norms of 1970s Soviet cinema. It lacks diversity in its cast and identity representation, focusing instead on the psychological study of social norms. While the film fails to represent LGBTQ+ identities and disabilities, it offers a nuanced look at the fragility of traditional family structures through situational ethics.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Elder Son have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses on a young boy's infatuation with an older girl, emphasizing heterosexual relationships and excluding non-traditional gender identities.

How does The Elder Son portray gender?

Fair

The story highlights the emotional labor and psychological depth of female characters, emphasizing their impact on family stability.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Elder Son?

Limited

The cast appears uniform, reflecting the local Soviet context of the time. There is no effort to include actors from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

How does The Elder Son represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative emphasizes secular social structures over religious ones. It uses deception to explore ethical dilemmas and the breakdown of the ideal family unit.

Does The Elder Son include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not depict any characters with physical or neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Present on Screen

Explores the psychological depth and emotional influence of female characters within the domestic sphere.
Provides a nuanced study of situational ethics and the fragility of traditional family institutions.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-traditional gender perspectives.
Features a homogeneous cast with minimal racial or ethnic diversity.
Provides no representation of physical or neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Two students are late for the last commuter train and have to spend a night in a strange town. They rack their brains about where to find shelter and quite by chance they overhear a talk between father and son. The son is an adolescent who is head over heels in love with a girl several years his senior. He is living through the first drama of his life though his love is just puppy love. Then, being resourceful fellows, they think of a plan to pass one of them for the elder son of this family. The reason they give for his unexpected arrival is that he is a child of the father's long-forsaken love. They presume this cock-and-bull story will come off, and right they are!

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